MovieChat Forums > Somewhere in Time (1980) Discussion > 2 Cents

2 Cents

posted 14 years ago by ophelia137
31 replies | jump to latest

The dvd I rented promised me 9 (if I remember right) classic romances. They were all pretty bad. With the exception of this one. It has it's flaws, I will admit. The film quality I saw left much to be desired. But I was somehow enamored with the story. At first I found this hard to get into but I restarted and tried again. I'm glad I did. The acting is good, the plot is sweet and I would like to see this redone someday. I always liked Reeves as a human but didn't see too many of his films. There was something about him, wasn't there?

I would like to try to find this story at one of the local libraries. If and when I do, I'll come back and update my 2 cents!

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[–] bringbackwriting-1 14 years ago

I agree this movie deserves a remake. Long overdue. Started a thread about just that a few years ago.

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[–] ophelia137 14 years ago

It's nice to be agreed with. I will have to look up your thread. I try to read a few before posting but didn't get that far back. Thanks!

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[–] Val-El 14 years ago

Look for "Bid Time Return". $6.99 as a paperback on Amazon.

Why remake a movie that was so well done?

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[–] ophelia137 14 years ago

Is "Bid Time Return" a similar story or the original under its original name?

I think the movie was well done, but the quality of the film is so bad and there are a lot of flaws. Putting this story to a big budget might be fun to watch.

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[–] Val-El 14 years ago

"Bid Time Return" was the basis for SIT. In fact the author had a cameo in SIT.

While I agree that some filming flaws existed, I doubt the magical chemistry of Jane and Chris can be matched today.

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[–] ophelia137 14 years ago

Thanks! And I agree it would be difficult to match the duo's performances. Too bad Chris is gone. Wouldn't it have been fun to do a remake with the two of them involved again?

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[–] Val-El 14 years ago

Wouldn't it have been fun to do a remake with the two of them involved again?

In fact, a sequel would have been amazing!

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[–] ophelia137 14 years ago

Hmmm...now you got me thinking. A sequel to continue the story or a sequel that is a new story? Is the book a lot more detailed?

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[–] Val-El 14 years ago

I would think a sequel to continue the story. The book was somewhat different but not enough to warrant an additional story.

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[–] ophelia137 14 years ago

I'm intrigued. I'm going to try to find the book via free library service and if it is not available I will look it up on Amazon as per your instructions :)

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[–] diane-bernaerts 12 years ago

You can find the book online: http://tieba.baidu.com/f?ct=335675392&tn=baiduPostBrowser&sc=7921062957&z=749443313&pn=0&rn=30&lm=0&rs16=1&word=%D2%DD%D0%F9%B8%F3

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[–] bringbackwriting-1 13 years ago

Yes a sequel!

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[–] Desertman84 13 years ago

Memoirs Of Elise would be a great sequel.

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[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Unopenedinbox 12 years ago

While the idea of a sequel or remake of a film one enjoys is always tempting, I would say a remake of this film is a bad idea. Here are my reasons:

1. Music. John Barry, alas, has passed away. His music (in addition to Rachmaninov's excerpt) really made this film for me. Without it, the whole story might have seemed much more maudlin.

2. Acting. Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour both nailed it. Any deviation, any small hint of hamminess or over-the-top (for let's face it, some of this film is far over the top) by other actors, or for that matter in the hands of another director, would have shoved this film into schlock. (Some critics, such as Roger Ebert, even dismissed it as such at the time it was released.)

3. Why remake a classic? Tell a new story. Make a new film, a better film. This film is one of my guilty pleasures-- trying to tweak it or redo it is only going to result in disappointment.

I'm all for a better DVD or Blu-Ray restoration, though!

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[–] diane-bernaerts 12 years ago

Acting. Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour both nailed it.

Indeed. The chemistry between them was just perfect! Any less chemistry between Elise and Richard, and you spoil the whole movie, even when it's a big-budget movie made with modern-day techniques and with even more breathtaking scenery and more beautiful music (if that would be possible, and I don't think it's possible either).

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[–] merbrat2u 10 years ago

This was in the trivia section!

There is a follow-up to this movie in the form of a sequel/prequel book, Memoirs of Elise, written by David L. Gurnee. This book answers the questions of what happened to Elise during the sixty years apart from Richard, how did she discover where Richard Collier had come from, and how did she find him.

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[–] merbrat2u 10 years ago

If you can't find Bid Time Return, look for it by the movie name. It was reprinted with that title or the film fans.

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[–] jennyle9516 11 years ago

I just don't think we could ever find another Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour for a remake.

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[–] rich920215 10 years ago

Somewhere In Time cannot be remade any more than Casablanca could be remade. Bogie and Bergman were essential to Casablanca. The Maltese Falcon can only work if Bogie does it, nobody else. Christoper Reeve and Jane Seymour only could do SIT. Also, Wonder Woman can only be played by Lynda Carter. Alas these women are now all old or dead. So just enjoy the movie on DVD and attend a Somewhere In Time weekend at the Grand Hotel. Any remake can only insult the original and would be a forgettable failure.

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[–] Movies_For_Life 12 years ago

I barely remember watching this the first time when I was quite younger on TV, back about around '81 on CBS I think, recently rented it & agree it should be remade. If that would go well even a sequel should be made.

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[–] ophelia137 12 years ago

It's funny you responded to this post at this time. I have been thinking about this movie, the last couple days, as it was spoofed on American Dad.

It was hilarious....and I wonder how many of American Dad's fan base understood the reference.

Yes, I believe we will see a remake, not just a spoof!

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[–] shadycady 12 years ago

I am watching it now on Netflix. I saw it when it first came out when I was a teenager. I still love it!

The Divine Genealogy Goddess

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[–] ophelia137 12 years ago

Enjoy!

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[–] ophelia137 12 years ago

Enjoy!

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[–] shadycady 12 years ago

I just wanted to cry when I saw poor Christopher Reeve lose his love. He looked genuinely just destroyed.
The Divine Genealogy Goddess

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[–] ophelia137 12 years ago

Yes, I miss him as an actor....he was very good.

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[–] tvaddiction 12 years ago

This is one of the greatest romantic movies of all time. The dramatic penny shot gets me every time and I'm like, OH NO!!!! Christopher Reeve made a great leading man and had great sex appeal. Jane Seymour is also gorgeous and believable and amazing. This is one of my favorite movies and I'm surprised this movie wasn't a megahit.

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[–] westal_sage 11 years ago

Christopher Reeve is his name. And no, no remake! You can't remake this kind of magic.

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[–] jarthurs-46779 9 years ago

If you want the book it's "Bid Time Return" by Richard Matheson, the "astonished man" as Richard comes out of the bathroom after having hacked his face up with the razor. The book takes place at the Hotel Coronado in San Diego, a pretty magnificent hotel but not up to Grand Hotel standards.

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[–] wendycscott9 9 years ago

They've put out the book as Somewhere in Time now although I think Bid Time Return is still available. I understand that the reason they didn't put the movie at the Hotel Coronado, is that there are just too many modern improvements to it and other buildings around it for it to be convincing anymore that it was 1912. Actually, the book has everything taking place in the 1890s. I've been to both hotels, btw, and the Grand Hotel was absolutely the perfect setting. They don't even allow cars on the island, so they didn't have to worry about traffic noise. My husband and I took a horse-drawn carriage up to the hotel and had dinner at the window at the table just one away from where Christopher Reeve had breakfast in the movie. I was thrilled. They have a nice display of Somewhere in Time stuff, including Christopher's bowler hat. They have a harpist playing in the lobby, and as we walked by she played the theme from Somewhere in Time. I was very glad to have had the experience.

—
"How was the war, sir?"
"As any war, ma'am, a waste of good men." (Poldark)

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